Still more talk about Pitt trying to develop its running game.

With only four games remaining, Pitt is still trying to find that effective running game that coach Dave Wannstedt promised when training camp started.

A starting running back, too.
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And, in a familiar twist, the Panthers (3-4, 2-1 in Big East) have become increasingly reliant on junior quarterback Tyler Palko’s passing, just as they did a season ago when they ran a West Coast offense, rather than Wannstedt’s more conventional run-based system. In 2004, Palko passed for 3,067 yards, or five times more yardage than any running back produced.

It wasn’t a one-year trend, either. Pitt had only one 1,000-yard rusher during Walt Harris’ eight seasons as coach from 1997-2004 and has had only one since 1994. Pitt hasn’t had even a 600-yard runner since Brandon Miree ran for 943 yards in 2001.

This week, it’s supposed to be LaRod Stephens-Howling taking the bulk of the workload.

Dave Wannstedt stopped short of naming him the starting tailback, but the University of Pittsburgh coach was certain that Johnstown grad LaRod Stephens-Howling would be a key player when Pitt played host to Syracuse Saturday at noon at Heinz Field.

Interestingly, Running Backs Coach Dave Walker sees the touches still being well distributed.

All three tailbacks, along with senior fullback Tim Murphy, are healthy this week. And that pleases running backs coach David Walker.

“LaRod gives us a little different dimension,” Walker said. “And we’re better now in the running game, for a lot of different reasons. We’re playing a few more guys, which helps us be better up front and in the backfield.

“This week will be a challenge, though, because Syracuse will have nine guys in the box. So, we have to be very consistent against them. And we have to make the plays when we take our shots down field.”

I know the hundred-yard rushing game is the standard for running backs, but I’d rather see the ball spread out more. There’s nothing wrong with that, and I think it saves some wear on the backs. Dr. Z at SI.com was complaining about overuse of a single running back by teams this week (albeit at the NFL level), but the issue is important at the college level. For Pitt, at the moment, the talent level between Stephens-Howling and Jennings is not so vast that you need to or should tilt the number of carries overwhelmingly one way or the other. I keep repeating it, but I just really like throwing different running styles at a defense. I think it gives an added edge by almost freezing them for a split second as they have to adjust accordingly.

For Pitt, it’s been hard to have much of a running game when the O-line doesn’t give you much of a hole. That only increases the wear on the backs as they get hit and stuffed a lot more. Hopefully that will change as John Bachman and C.J. Davis, two of the freshmen offensive lineman, give a lot of hope for that possibility.

Pitt offensive line coach Paul Dunn has been impressed with Bachman and Davis and believes both have a bright future. Like most coaches, however, he does not consider it an ideal situation to put two true freshmen at such critical positions.

Davis was forced into action in the second game, when the Panthers lost three starting offensive linemen before halftime. Bachman has played recently because he has emerged as the third-best tackle.

Dunn believes the Panthers’ offensive line is in the early stages of becoming something special. What he is looking for is consistency and progress. So far, both have developed nicely, despite the accelerated learning curve.

“C.J. has done a good job handling everything we’ve given him, taking his opportunity to start and running with it,” Dunn said, “We expected that because he’s got a lot of substance to him.

“As for John, we just made some evaluations at the halfway point and realized John very well could be a guy who could start for us next year. I just felt like it may be smart to lift his redshirt and get him some playing time this year.”

Line play, line play, line play.